February 17, 2007	Saturday	Muharram 28, 1428

NEW DELHI, Feb 16: The European Union said on Friday that India will have to take a "few steps" like associating with NPT and CTBT before the 25-nation body can decide on cooperating with it in civil nuclear energy, Press Trust of India reported.

EU Commissioner for External Relations Beneta Ferrero-Waldner, who arrived here on Friday morning on a five-day visit, said the European grouping was ready to discuss these steps with New Delhi as it understands its need for civil nuclear energy because of its rapidly growing requirements.

“We acknowledge India`s energy needs and are committed to support its energy components, of which civil nuclear energy is an important part,” she told a select group of journalists after a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

She, however, stressed that the EU can venture into this only within the non-proliferation regime`s framework, PTI said

“A few steps are still needed before such a cooperation is made possible. We hope India will take these steps towards international non-proliferation mechanism and mainstream, and then swiftly conclude safeguards agreement with the IAEA,” she said.

Ms Ferrero- Waldner declined to go into specific details but said the steps expected to be taken include those which help India enter the NPT (Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty), CTBT (Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty) and FMCT (Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty).

These were “not conditions”, but the EU was ready to discuss these issues with India with an "open mind" to see “how far we go and how far India can go. We have to see how far we can engage,” she said.